The Aam Aadmi Party leaders on Sunday observed a day-long fast to protest the arrest of the party’s national convener Arvind Kejriwal in the Delhi excise policy case. The Bharatiya Janata Party called the move a “political farce”. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, meanwhile, reiterated his statement that the Congress’ manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections appeared “as if it was the manifesto of Muslim League”.

Here’s a look at today’s top developments:

  • The Aam Aadmi Party on Sunday held a mass fast in protest against the arrest of Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate. Speaking at the gathering at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, party leader Sanjay Singh, who is out on bail in the same case, said: “Kejriwal was, is, and will remain honest.” He also said that out of the 456 witnesses that the Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation have in the case, “only four witnesses have taken the name of Arvind Kejriwal”, reported India Today. “Under what circumstances and pressure did they take the name of Arvind Kejriwal?” asked Singh.

  • In Punjab, the party leader and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and several ministers gathered at Khatkar Kalan in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district, the ancestral village of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh. Mann said at the gathering that the BJP has resorted to harassment of leaders in states where it is not in power, reported The Hindu. “I also have to go to the Supreme Court on every issue,” said the chief minister. “The Governor is harassing us and the Centre has stopped our funds. Arvind Kejriwal was put in jail at the time of elections because the AAP was a threat to the BJP.”

  • Sunil Jakhar, the chief of BJP’s Punjab unit, accused Mann of accused Mann of insulting the birthplace of Bhagat Singh. “The farce perpetrated by Mr Mann at Khatkar Kalan today was the most despicable and I condemn it in the strongest words,” Jakhar was quoted as saying by The Hindu. “Punjabis will never forgive this assault on shared honour and pride in the sacrifices of our greatest of freedom fighters. The chief minister should not play with sentiments of Punjabis for his political motives.”

  • The BJP also started a campaign titled “Sharab se Sheesh Mahal”, or “palace from liquor”, to counter the Aam Aadmi Party, reported The Week. “People of Delhi can see Red Fort, Qutb Minar, Akshardham temple, Lotus Temple, Kartavya Path, but cannot see the chief minister’s corruption as they cannot go inside Kejriwal’s Raj Mahal,” said BJP’s Delhi unit chief Virendraa Sachdeva. “The story of ‘Sharab to Sheesh’ is about the Delhi government’s corruption and Arvind Kejriwal is guilty.”

  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated his statement that the Congress’ poll manifesto “appears as if it was the manifesto of Muslim League”, reported The Indian Express. “I wonder why the INDIA bloc is so hostile towards popular sentiments,” Modi said at a rally in Bihar’s Nawada. “They did not turn up for pran pratishtha at Ayodhya even though the temple was constructed through public donations, and not with government money. Ram Navami is approaching. Do not forget their sins.” In Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur on Saturday, Modi said Congress’ manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections “reflects the thinking of the Muslim League”.

  • The Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi on Saturday cancelled the candidacy of its Shirur candidate Mangaldas Bandal after he met BJP leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, reported The Indian Express. “He [Bandal] has indulged in anti-party activity and has lost his candidature,” a party spokesperson told the newspaper.